Wright played for the Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns last season.

Per Yahoo! Sports:

The Grizzlies used their full midlevel exception to sign him.

At 6-foot-10, Wright gives the Grizzlies a long, athletic forward who should be an upgrade over Kosta Koufos. Wright delivers another frontline weapon with a lineup that includes Zach Randolph and the likely return of All-Star center Marc Gasol.

Wright is from Nashville, Tenn., and was the eighth overall pick of the 2007 NBA draft out of North Carolina.

Playing for the first time in four nights, the Mavs finally stepped up their defensive game and held the Phoenix Suns to a mere 41 points in the second half. Still, the Mavs had to hold on and watch Markieff Morris miss a wide-open 3-pointer as time expired and Dallas escaped with a wild 107-104 victory over the Suns at American Airlines Center.

The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Mavs, who also clinched the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed in the upcoming playoffs. Dallas (47-31) now opens a three-game road trip Friday in Denver before finishing the regular season at home on Wednesday against Portland.

Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavs’ long-time go-to player, nailed a huge 3-pointer which put Dallas ahead 106-102 with 22.8 seconds left. Nowitzki, who finished with 19 points, took a feed from Monta Ellis, who drove hard to the basket before dropping the pass off to the Mavs’ 17-year veteran.

The Celtics continued their tanking season by trading Brandan Wright to the Suns on Friday. According to Yahoo, Phoenix will send a conditional first-round pick (top-12 in 2015 and 2016) in return for Wright:

Rajon Rondo was stuck in a rough situation the last couple years, pegged as the leader of a rebuilding team. Add in a few injuries, a big downgrade at the coaching position, and a carousel of veterans, and it becomes easy to understand why Rondo was no longer a fit in Boston. From a fantasy perspective, this trade has major implications.

Over the past two years, Rondo’s field-goal percentage dipped to 40 percent, a far cry from the 50 percent he averaged during the Celtics’ strongest title runs. The explanation for this lies not with his inherent ability to score, but with the team built around him. Rondo is not meant to be the go-to scorer of a lineup, and thrives when there are star players around him, allowing him to penetrate and dish at will.

With the right players around him, Rondo can become more than one of the best passers in the NBA because defenses cannot focus on him from a scoring standpoint. Rondo has never been a good shooter, but with Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett at his side he was an efficiently integral scorer. With the trade to the Mavericks, Rondo can actually be expected to improve his scoring output (just 8.3 ppg this season) to around 10-11 ppg with a field-goal percentage between 47-50 percent from here on out. His new teammates are going to open up these opportunities for him.

There is no reason for the Mavericks to do anything but put the offense in the hands of Rondo. He is an explosive play maker and a visionary passer, and will only enhance the effectiveness of Monta Ellis, Chandler Parsons, Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler. He eventually averaged 11 assists per game in three straight seasons, and is closing in on that number again this year (back to 10.8 apg) with a bad roster around him. The idea that Rondo’s assist numbers would go down with the Mavericks is ridiculous, as it’s going to be pretty easy to retain an 11-assist pace with all the offensive firepower and an alley-oop magnet at the rim in Chandler. Rondo can also be expected to continue to provide fantasy owners with around 2 steals per contest. His rebounding numbers should dip back down slightly, however (currently a career high 7.5 per game).

Simply put, Rondo can be the perfect complementary piece for a well built fantasy team now that he is with the Mavericks. He defines the term point guard, and the Mavs are a much better team with him. The trade also impacts several other players…

Marcus Smart will now be handed the keys to the Celtics, and must be owned in all leagues. Expectations for Smart should be kept in check, but as long as he is healthy the Celtics are likely to give him every chance to succeed. It’s been an up-and-down campaign for Smart, both in regard to his play on the court and his ability to stay on it. Jameer Nelson was struggling with the Mavs, and it’s likely he will slide in as Smart’s backup, providing no value moving forward unless an injury occurs. Evan Turner might handle the ball a little more as well, but it’s doubtful he ever becomes fantasy-relevant.

Brandan Wright, who heads to the Celtics in the deal, hasn’t been receiving many minutes, but he has been making the most of them. Per minute, he has been one of the most efficient players in the League. He is averaging 8.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in just 18 minutes per game. He’s worth an add in deep leagues especially, and while he is likely to receive a slight increase in minutes, the Celtics already have Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk and Tyler Zeller in the frontcourt.

It’s possible the Celtics really like the 27-year-old’s potential, even though he has never received over 18 minutes per game before. If that’s the case, there could be a decrease in output from the rest of Boston’s big men. It’s best to keep an eye on the situation because it’s impossible to predict how it will play out. Jae Crowder also heads to Boston, but he will be handed nothing more than a backup role with Jeff Green ahead of him. Keep an eye on Dwight Powell moving forward, who while not worth an add in any league, heads to the Mavericks and might find himself in a Brandan Wright type of role if he proves his worth to coach Rick Carlisle.

On the Mavericks’ side of things, Devin Harris and JJ Barea are going to see even more of a reduced role, but they weren’t fantasy relevant anyway, except in deep and daily leagues. They can back up both guard positions however. Monta Ellis has been entrusted as the primary scorer in Dallas and his 4.7 assists per game is already the lowest Ellis has put up in 6 seasons, so the Rondo addition doesn’t impact him too much statistically, though he should receive better looks on offense. Rondo makes other players around him better, but the impact will be seen on the court more than in the box scores for those individuals. The Mavericks are already playing well across the board so it’s hard to expect much more from them statistically.

Dan Hanna is SLAM’s weekly fantasy basketball columnist and a life-long Bulls fan. Follow him on Twitter @i_am_danhan. For advice on your fantasy team, post questions in the comments section.

Rondo has made it clear to the Mavericks that he’s willing to sign a contract extension this summer, league sources said. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent in July.

The Houston Rockets dropped out of the Rondo trade talks Thursday evening, clearing the way for the Celtics to strike a deal with the Mavericks, sources said.

The Mavs and Celtics will take part in a trade call with the NBA office on Thursday night to formalize the deal.

If head coach Rick Carlisle can figure out how to incorporate the free-wheeling Rondo into his structured offensive attack, this blockbuster deal makes the (19-8) Mavericks a true title contender in the wildly-competitive Western Conference.

Rajon Rondo spent the first 8 1/2 years of his career in Beantown, posting averages of 11 points and 8.5 assists, and helping lead the C’s to the 2008 NBA championship.

A compilation of the NBA’s best images from the past seven days. See playoff clinching moments, up close and personal dunks, and achievements that caught everyone by surprise in this week’s NBA photos.

The Lakers picked up their first win since Kobe Bryant (21 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds, 7 turnovers) came back from his injury. As odd as it sounds for Bryant to be the point guard, he is holding his own getting his teammates involved as he’s controlling the offense through his passing. But he has collected a lot of turnovers due to him being the only distributor, often forcing the issue at times. He did hit two free throws with 37 seconds to go that put his team up for good. Pau Gasol (15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks) and Jordan Hill (15 points, 9 rebounds, 5-7 from the field) did their damage in the paint but Kemba Walker (24 points, 8 assists) had his way most of the night. The Lakers kept everyone not named Kemba Walker to 38.2 percent shooting and gave up a season-low 85 p0ints.

Clippers 113 (16-9), Wizards 97 (9-13)

Chris Paul (38 points, 12 assists, 11-14 from the field) put on another MVP-type performance and became the 2nd player in the last 40 seasons with at least 38 points, 12 assists and 78.6 percent shooting from the field (Clyde Drexler—1990). Los Angeles led wire to wire, jumping out to a quick 25-15 lead in the first seven minutes. The Clippers shot 56.5 percent from the field as DeAndre Jordan (15 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks) made all six of his shot attempts. Struggling for the majority of this month, Jared Dudley (16 points, 7-10 from the field, 3 assists, 0 turnovers) had an efficient game and was on the receiving end of many of CP3’s assists. John Wall (24 points, 12 assists, 6 turnovers) has now had 12 consecutive games with at least 3 turnovers and is averaging 4.8 in his last 4 games. Other than Kevin Seraphin (16 points, 7-12 from the field, 20 minutes), the Wizards got very little production from their bench.

Heat 114 (17-6), Cavaliers 107 (9-14)

The Cavaliers couldn’t contain the Big 3 all night long, as James/Wade/Bosh combined to score 71 points, grab 27 rebounds and dish out 13 assists. Kyrie Irving (19 points, 3 assists, 4 steals, 3 turnovers) had his eighth game of the season with as many or more turnovers than assists while Dion Waiters (16 points) continued to play through the trade rumors. Mario Chalmers (11 points, 5 assists) and Ray Allen (12 points) combined to shoot 5-9 from deep as Chalmers hit two crucial 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. The Heat shot 7-8 on free throws in the final two minutes to close this one out. After losing to the Pacers 90-84 this last Tuesday, the Heat will get a chance at payback this upcoming Wednesday.

Knicks 111 (7-16), Hawks 106 (12-12)

Even though New York gave up 106 points, they remained active on the defense side of the floor all night long, forcing 27 Hawks turnovers. Carmelo Anthony (35 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists) has led the Knicks in scoring every game this season and Kyle Korver (13 points, 4-9 on 3-pointers) has now hit a 3-pointer in an NBA-record 93 straight games. Sparkplug Lou Williams (team-high 27 points, 6-13 on 3-pointers) by far had his best performance since coming back from his injury. Andrea Bargnani (23 points, 6 rebounds) played his role, Pablo Prigioni (11 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, 3-6 on 3-pointers) filled in well for Raymond Felton and Amar’e Stoudemire (9 points, 5 offensive rebounds, 19 minutes) is getting closer to looking much more tolerable when playing basketball. With 7:42 to go in the 4th quarter, the Hawks only trailed by 4 after Shelvin Mack (10 points, 5 rebounds, 4-5 from the field, 20 minutes) made a driving jump shot. However, the Knicks responded by going on a quick 11-0 run in just over a minute to take a 98-83 lead and put this game out of reach. The Knicks have won 4 of their past 7 games for the first time this season. Facing the Wizards (9-13), Bucks (5-19), Grizzlies (10-12) and Magic (7-16) the next four games, they will have a chance to gain some momentum before their nationally-televised game against the Thunder on Christmas.

Raptors 99 (9-13), Bulls 77 (9-13)

Kyle Lowry (16 points, 6 assists) and Jonas Valanciunas (15 points, 11 rebounds) led a balanced attack as eight Raptors had 7 or more points. The Bulls haven’t won back-to-back games since November 18 and this is in large part due to their inability to put points on the board. With Derrick Rose sidelined and Nate Robinson in Denver, there aren’t that many creators on this roster. The Bulls shot 36 percent from the field and only mustered 11 points in the 4th quarter. Luol Deng (17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists) can only do so much, especially without Jimmy Butler (turf-toe injury) giving him breathers. In his second game since being signed by the Bulls, DJ Augustin (5 points, 6 assists, 1-7 from the field, 19 minutes) showed promise with his passing but still lacked any sort of offensive firepower—which is what this team desperately needs off the bench. Chicago has failed to reach 80 points in four of its last five games.

Blazers 139 (20-4), 76ers 105 (7-18)

Having their best start through 24 games since 1990-91, the Blazers used a franchise-record 21 3-pointers, led by Damian Lillard (16 points, 6 assists, 4-6 on 3-pointers) and Dorell Wright (15 points, 5-5 on 3-pointers), to crush the spiraling Sixers. LaMarcus Aldridge (20 points, 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 10-15 from the field) had his 13th double-double of the year and looks like a clear-cut All-Star as long as his team continues winning at this pace. Losing a league-worst 6th straight game and still being unable to play defense, Philadelphia has concluded their cinderella run as their two best players—Evan Turner (3 points, 4 assists, 1-7 from the field) and Thaddeus Young (15 points, 5 rebounds, 7-9 from the field)—remain on the trading block. Tony Wroten (18 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds) continued to make his case for Most Improved Player of the Year.

Mavericks 106 (14-10), Bucks 93 (5-19)

Leading by as many as 34 points in the second half, the Mavericks took down the growing John Henson (18 points, 13 rebounds) and his falling Bucks without Dirk Nowitzki and Rick Carlisle (illness). Jose Calderon (18 points, 7-10 from the field) made all 4 of his 3-pointers in the first quarter, helping Dallas score a first quarter season-high 38 points. Recovering from a shoulder injury, Brandan Wright (19 points, 6 rebounds, 9-10 from the field, 18 minutes) played his first game of the season and looked like the athletic, hyperactive force that looked very good late last season when the Mavs were at their best. Vince Carter (15 points, season-high 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals) had one of his most efficient games of the season and that is in large part because of Wright, with whom Carter has found a great rhythm with off the bench in the past. Big man Miroslav Raduljica (season-high 12 points, 6-8 from the field, 14 minutes) took advantage of the garbage-time minutes head coach Larry Drew gave him.

Spurs 100 (19-4), Jazz 84 (6-20)

The Jazz never had a chance in this game as Tim Duncan (22 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists) had his third straight double-double and Tony Parker (15 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds) carved up Utah’s interior. The Spurs outrebounded the Jazz 55-42 and outscored them 50-36 in the paint. Enes Kanter (3 points, 1 rebounds, 1-6 from the field) and Derrick Favors (6 points, 7 rebounds) just haven’t had the season their franchise thought they’d have when Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson were let go. Trey Burke (20 points, 5 assists) reached the 20-point plateau for the third time since returning from his injury.

Dallas Mavericks big man Brandan Wright suffered a small, non-displaced fracture in his left shoulder during a team practice on Tuesday. There’s no timetable for his return. Per the Star-Telegram: “The Mavs, at this time, don’t anticipate Wright’s injury will require surgery. However, he will be re-evalated weekly and will be sidelined indefinitely. An MRI revealed Wright sustained the injury during practice Tuesday before the Mavs departed Dallas to fly to Memphis where they played the Grizzlies on Wednesday. Wright, who added 15 pounds to his frame during some strenuous workouts over the summer, didn’t play in the contest against the Grizzlies. However, when asked after the game if he was OK, Wright said he was ‘fine” and that he only sat out of the game for ‘precautionary reasons.’ Wright’s injury bring the count of Mavs players on the mend to four. The other three are point guards Jose Calderon (hamstring), Devin Harris (toe) and rookie Shane Larkin (ankle).”

The Mavericks are bringing back big man Brandan Wright on a two-year deal, according to Wright’s agent. Per NBA.com: “Dallas finalizes deal with F/C Brandan Wright for two years, $10M guaranteed, with an additional $1.1M in incentives, per agent Jim Tanner.”

Joining Chris Kaman on the chillin’ list in Dallas, is big man Brandan Wright. Neither injury is considered serious, but the Mavericks now have two centers out of action. Per the Star-Telegram: “One day after Chris Kaman suffered a sprained lower back on the opening day, Brandan Wright strained his quad during Sunday’s practice at American Airlines Center. Mavs officials believe the injuries are minor, but aren’t sure how long either player will be forced into limited duty before returning to the court. ‘Brandan Wright got a little quad strain today, but it’s not considered serious,’ coach Rick Carlisle said. ‘We’ll evaluate him and he’ll be day-to-day.’ As a backup last year who played in 49 games, Wright averaged 6.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 16.1 minutes. He often got pushed around because of his lithe body, but he did something about it by beefing up over the off-season.”

The Warriors announced Wednesday they’ve exercised the fourth-year contract option on forward Brandan Wright and the third-year contract option on forward Anthony Randolph, which are both for the 2010-11 NBA season.

Under the terms of the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement, the first two years of a first round draft pick’s contract are guaranteed, while the third and fourth year of the contract are the team’s option. Wright was selected with the eighth overall selection in the 2007 draft by the Charlotte Bobcats and later acquired by Golden State, while Randolph was selected by the Warriors with the 14th pick in the 2008 draft.

Wright, 22, hasn’t done much in his career yet, and will miss much of the upcoming season with a shoulder injury. Randolph, 20, showed glimpses of what he can he bring to the table in Summer League, where he scored and rebounded at will, and hopes to get the opportunity to do the same in the regular season.

While the deals mean extra spending money for the duo, it also means that they’re stuck in Golden State at least for this season and next. And while that’s better than being locked up, with all the bad press, losing and negativity, it’s the current version of an NBA prison sentence—much like the Clippers used to be.

The 22-year old forward is going under the knife, and will not touch a basketball for quite some time: “As expected, Brandan Wright will have surgery to repair damage to his left shooting shoulder, the Warriors announced before Sunday’s preseason lid lifter. The team didn’t set a timetable for the forward’s return, but recovery for such surgeries is usually between 4-6 months. Wright had his left shoulder dislocated on a hard foul during Friday’s scrimmage.”